Every superhero has that one villain who’s returned time and time again to plague them. Spider-Man has the Green Goblin. Superman has Lex Luthor. Spawn has Violator. Now in Shift #1, Massiveverse architect Kyle Higgins charts the origin story of Radiant Black’s arch-nemesis: the teleporting warrior known as Shift. While Shift had previously appeared in Radiant Black (as well as Radiant Red and The Dead Lucky), not much was known about him other than his name was Guy and that he proved to be more than a match for the Massiveverse’s various heroes.
Shift #1 fills in the blanks. Consisting of four stories that were originally published in the Image! anthology, plus an all-new epilogue, it chronicles how Guy came into possession of the Shift tech. Readers will also meet the rest of his “5yndicate” including super-speedster assassin Accel, crypto-bro swordsman Sheer, and sonic master Doppler. But it’s the way that Higgins structures the stories that makes this one-shot worth a read. Radiant Black has always prided itself on exploring how a modern-day superhero would work, so with Shift the question is “how would a supervillain work in the modern world?” The answer: he’d start his own business. Higgins writes the ups and downs of starting a business, with the occasional superpowered fight here and there -and slipping in neat nods to other Massiveverse titles. (Fans should keep their eyes peeled.)
He’s also joined by a killer roster of artists, including Daniele Di Niculo, Francesco Manna, Geraldo Borges, Danilo Beyruth, and Chris Evenhuis. Each artist illustrates a different chapter, and therefore a different villain, bringing a unique sense of style to the proceedings. Evenhuis crafts stunning imagery based on Doppler’s sound manipulation, while Borges favors a more grounded look for the chapter where Sheer helps Shift break into a prison. The artwork that really stands out the most is Di Niculo’s – having previously worked with Higgins on the Power Rangers epic Shattered Grid, Di Niculo brings his signature sense of kinetic energy to Shift’s teleportation.
This especially applies to the first chapter, when Shift and Radiant Black have a duel on the highway. Every slash and gravity blast is intercut with the icon of a slowly charging battery, adding some much needed tension. Special mention should also go to the first page, which puts a dark spin on the opening of Radiant Black #1. Walter Baiamonte’s color work provides a collision between Shift’s bright green energy and Radiant Black’s shining blue powers, while Becca Carey’s lettering dials down or amps up based on how stressed the characters are feeling.
This being a massive one-shot, there are a few extras that make this comic worth the $5.99 price tag. First, there’s a timeline following Shift’s appearances within the Massiveverse. Not only is this a handy way to keep track of things, it also serves as a way for readers to pursue other Massiveverse titles if they choose to. Second, there are designs from Radiant Black co-creator Marcelo Costa (who also serves as a colorist for one of the chapters) featuring the 5yndicate. It’s always awesome to see the work that went into bringing a character to life, especially when a talented artist like Costa is at the helm.
Shift #1 pulls back the curtain on Radiant Black’s arch-nemesis, thanks to an all-star roster of creative talent. It’s also the perfect entry point into the Massiveverse, as well as a great alternative to the other titles within said universe. Don’t worry, dear readers – the ending promises that Shift will continue to break bad.
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